Thursday, March 28, 2013

Custom Jekyll Island Art on one side, and the United States seal on the reverse.

Includes transparent acrylic handling case and red display case.

What's the problem with the world economy? It's debt -- too much personal debt -- too much corporate debt -- and most importantly, too much government debt.

"People have a natural tendency to want to spend now and pay later. They will usually take any type of loans offered. It's the same for governments. If governments can spend by borrowing, they will do it. What's government's option; anger the voters in the here and now by having to raise taxes immediately to cover their reckless spending to get themselves re-elected? No way! If loans are offered, governments will always choose borrowing.

The problem is that debt carries interest and the interest is strangling the life out of the economy of every nation on earth.

But most importantly, it's not just the amount of interest paid to the banks - those who give the loans -- it's the control over political process this debt gives the banks. We can never fix the instability in the world economic system until we forbid government borrowing.

Why? Because as Proverbs warns us:

"The borrower is servant to the lender."

Economic instability always favors the banks and financial speculators. Economic stability always favors we, the people and the cause of human freedom. If banks are in control of the money, there is NO WAY they will ever create a stable system.

This will come as a surprise to most people, but today nations do not control their national money supply. Today, most money is created by banks -- as loans. It's not what backs the money that is important. It is who is controlling the quantity. Today, banks are in complete control of the quantity of the money in every nation. As a result banks have seized control of the entire democratic process and will, by this seizure, reverse humanity's thousand-year march towards freedom.

The good news is that it doesn't need to be this way. Banks don't need to be in control. Governments don't need to borrow. Governments don't need a national debt.

This is a relatively recent phenomenon. As long as we allow government borrowing -- the cancer at the core of all our economic problems -- we will never return governments to true democratic republics. They will all be just shams -- fakes -- appearing to go through the motions of free elections when in reality the big banks have effective control over the democratic process. This means that no government which borrows from banks can ever pass effective legislation to reverse this usurpation of humanity's quest for political freedom.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

About the Design:
New Zealand Mint is proud to issue the Birds of Prey 1oz Silver coin series. Each of the coins within the series celebrates the beauty and power of these magnificent creatures.

Reverse Design:

This dramatically captures an Osprey diving upon a fish with claws and wings outstretched to receive its prey. The power and magnificence of this bird is wonderfully captured in this detailed colour image. The Osprey is vividly set against an engraved natural landscape of great detail.

Obverse Design:
This features the Raphael Maklouf effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The coin is issued by New Zealand Mint as legal tender, under the authority of Niue Island.

Packaging:

The coin is presented in an attractive wooden case with removable insert. Insert can be positioned so the coin is displayed upright.

Obverse: stylized design of a Hawksbill turtle, also known as the Taku,
swimming along the ocean floor amidst tiny bubbles.

Reverse: Fiji coat of arms and 2013 date.

Produced by the New Zealand Mint under the authority of Fiji.

The Taku coin combines the appeal of 1 oz of pure Silver with an elegant design that captures the beauty of the ocean! Nearly 3,000 of these critically endangered Takus (Hawksbill turtles) call the island nation of Fiji their home.

UNIQUE ROUND SHAPE

Australia’s first 50c coin was only in circulation during the year of 1966, making this a rare collectable. Made from 80% silver, the coin was often hoarded or melted for its metal value causing the coin to vanish from circulation. After 1966, the new 50c piece was neither silver or round making it distinguishable from the 20c coin.

UNICIRCULATED QUALITY

Issued as Australian legal tender, the coin is presented in uncirculated quality.

PRESENTATION CARD

Each coin is housed in a presentation card with a circular window, revealing the coin’s reverse and obverse designs.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Mythical Creatures: The Vampire

While even folkloric vampires of the Balkans and Eastern Europe had a wide range of appearance ranging from nearly human to bloated rotting corpses, it was interpretation of the vampire by the Christian Church and the success of vampire literature, namely John Polidori's 1819 novella.

The Vampyre that established the archetype of charismatic and sophisticated vampire; it is arguably the most influential vampire work of the early 19th century, inspiring such works as Varney the Vampire and eventually Dracula. The Vampyre was itself based on Lord Byron's

unfinished story "Fragment of a Novel", also known as "The Burial: A Fragment", published in 1819. However, it is Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula that is remembered as the quintessential vampire novel and which provided the basis of modern vampire fiction. Dracula drew on earlier mythologies of werewolves and similar legendary demons and "was to voice the anxieties of an age", and the "fears of late Victorian patriarchy".The success of this book spawned a distinctive vampire genre, still popular in the 21st century, with books, films, video games, and television shows.

The vampire is such a dominant figure in the horror genre that literary historian Susan Sellers places the current vampire myth in the "comparative safety of nightmare fantasy". Tales of supernatural beings consuming the blood or flesh of the living have been found in nearly every culture around the world for many centuries.

Today, we would associate these entities with vampires, but in ancient times, the term vampire did not exist; blood drinking and similar activities were attributed to demons or spirits who would eat flesh and drink blood The notion of vampirism has existed for millennia; cultures such as the Mesopotamians, Hebrews, Ancient Greeks, aand Romans had tales of demons and spirits which are considered precursors to modern vampires.

However, despite the occurrence of vampire-like creatures in these ancient civilizations, the folklore for the entity we know today as the vampire originates almost exclusively from early-18th century southeastern Europe, when verbal traditions of many ethnic groups of the region were recorded and published.

In most cases, vampires are revenants of evil beings, suicide victims, or witches, but they can also be created by a malevolent spirit possessing a corpse or by being bitten by a vampire. Belief in such legends became so pervasive that in some areas it caused mass hysteria and even public executions of people believed to be vampires

Monday, March 11, 2013

Ludwig Leichhardt was a Prussian-born explorer and naturalist who made significant expeditions of discovery in Australia during the colonial era.

A scholar of natural sciences, Leichhardt was born 200 years ago in Trebatsch on 23 October 1813. In 1842 he arrived in Sydney and the following year completed an overland trek between the Hunter Region and Moreton Bay.

In 1844, he commenced a 3,000 mile expedition from the Darling Downs to Port Essington across territory previously unexplored by Europeans. Long considered to have perished, the party caused a sensation when it reached its objective in December 1845.

Made famous by this feat, Leichhardt set out on another expedition in 1848 with the ambitious aim of crossing the continent from east to west and then following the coast to the Swan River Colony. But the party disappeared in mysterious circumstances that were never fully resolved.

Leichhardt’s notebooks, journals and letters left detailed records of the botany, geology and resources found along the routes he trekked, including invaluable information for the future of European settlement.

The Perth Mint will release a stunning 2oz silver proof commemorative coin, struck from 99.9% pure silver and issued as Australian legal tender. No more than 2,013 of these coins will be released.

DESIGN

The coin’s reverse portrays Ludwig Leichhardt and a red line superimposed on a map of north-east Australia indicating the route of his most famous expedition to Port Essington on the Cobourg Peninsula. As well as The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark, the design includes the inscription LUDWIG LEICHHARDT, 1813 and 1848.

The Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the 2013 year-date and the monetary denomination are shown on the coin’s obverse.

PRESENTATION

This coin is housed in a presentation case and themed shipper, accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

Her Majesty ascended the throne on 6 February 1952 and was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953 at the age of 27.

On that rainy day in June, an estimated three million people lined the streets of London to catch a glimpse of the Coronation procession, while millions more crowded around newly-purchased television sets to watch the investiture of Britain’s youngest Sovereign since Queen Victoria.

For many, the Coronation represented the beginning of a hopeful new Elizabethan era.
In her glittering Coronation portrait, The Queen wears the Imperial State Crown.

She holds the Royal regalia incorporating the Sovereign’s sceptre-with-cross, representing temporal power, and the Sovereign’s orb, symbolising the Monarch’s role as Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England. On her right hand, Her Majesty wears the Coronation ring and on both wrists are golden armills.

Over the course of her life, Her Majesty has been witness to many world events from the Second World War to the landing on the moon. She has also seen radical developments in all areas of human endeavour including science, medicine, transport, culture, art and technology.

Her Majesty has also faced many personal challenges with courage, strength and dignity – qualities for which she has become renowned.

The 1oz silver coin is subject to an issue limit. No more than 5,000 of the 1oz silver coins will be released in this packaging from a maximum coin mintage of 7,500. No more than 1,000 of the 1/4oz gold coins will be released.

DESIGNS

The silver coin’s reverse features Sir Cecil Beaton’s official Coronation portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in colour.

The gold coin’s reverse features a struck impression of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in ceremonial regalia, also captured by Sir Cecil Beaton.

Both reverse designs also incorporate the inscription ‘Anniversary of Coronation’ and the dates 1953 – 2013.

Both coin’s obverse of both coin’s depict the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the monetary denomination and the 2013 year-date.

PRESENTATION

Each coin is housed in a display case with illustrated shipper, and is accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Drawing on original photographs, diagrams and schematics for inspiration, the Perth Mint has created this exquisite Battle Tanks of World War II 5 Coin Silver Proof Set, celebrating the most legendary land behemoths of the Second World War!

The large (40.60 mm diameter), pure silver coins each display one famous armored fighting vehicle, skillfully engraved with minute details and minted in frosted cameo relief, with each model's name indicated on each respective silver dollar!

Look carefully at the background and you can see the national military insignia of each major combatant, along with a tread track motif overlaying the WWII logo.

The colorization is spectacular and the devices are meticulously engraved to show the fine details, as you have come to expect from the Perth Mint.

The five different tanks memorialized on these proof coins include:

M4 Sherman - United States (emblem: U.S. Army Star)

Tiger I - Germany (emblem: Balkenkreuz Iron Cross)

Type 97 Chi-Ha - Japan (emblem: Rising Sun)

A22 Churchill - Great Britain (emblem: Union Jack)

T-34 - Soviet Russia (USSR) (emblem: Hammer & Sickle)

With a total mintage limit of only 1,500 sets, and with previous multi-coin silver proof sets from the Perth Mint being among the hottest commodities in modern numismatics, we recommend getting your Battle Tanks of World War II Silver Proof Set now!

Please see the presentation lower on this page for more information about Tuvalu and its association with Australia, as well as a feature about the the talented designer of these coins, designer and artist Darryl Bellotti.

Reverse

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of England, in crowned profile facing right. This portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl drop earrings, was executed by the sculptor Raphael Maklouf. The legend QUEEN ELIZABETH II, the date of issue and denomination also appear.

Packaging

The coins are encapsulated inside an elaborate, taupe leatherette presentation case lined with black velvet and satin, and protected by a full-color, outer cardboard box. The case has an internal, lift out coin tray that can be tilted up at an angle of 45 degrees for display. An individually numbered, color certificate of authenticity is included.

Obverse

Each coin depicts a different battle tank of the Second World War, from one of five different major combatants, with each tank's model name indicated on the respective coin. The legend WWII defines the theme, and the military emblem of each combatant is depicted in the color section of the background. The Perth Mint "P" mint mark is also located on each obverse.

FIRST OF CRYSTAL ART SERIES - Two Ounce 999 Silver Coin with a Crystal Insert.

The first Crystal Art coin, 2 Oz of pure 99.99% Silver Antique-finish, decorated with a crystal glass insert. This issue features the secret of Lichtenstein and the the fairy tale castle of Württemberg, Germany. The excellent decoration makes it a very peace of art, the minuteness of detail makes it quite simply unique!

This 2 Oz pure silver coin depicts the fairy tale castle, the Schloss Lichtenstein, together with the name of the series "CRYSTAL ART", the face value and Queen Elizabeth II portrait. A wonderful crystal insert makes this coin unique. Issued by Niue Island with extremely limited mintage of just 999 pieces in the world!

Background Information - Lichtenstein Castle

Lichtenstein Castle can be described, without any exaggeration, as the fairy tale castle of Württemberg. The novel "Lichtenstein" by Wilhelm Hauff, published in 1826, provided the inspiration for Count Wilhelm of Urach when building this beautiful castle complex.

The former hunting castle on the steep rock above the Echaz Valley was built during 1840-1842 and contains a large collection of historic weapons, armour and treasures.

It looks particularly picturesque in autumn and in spring when the forest-covered mountain slopes surrounding it change colour with the seasons.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

This 1 troy ounce of .999 pure silver is one of the most popular images on a silver round. The design originated from James Earle Fraser, first seen on the 1913-1938 circulating Buffalo nickel. The Silver Buffalo is SD Bullion’s most popular silver round. The round normally has a very attractive price over spot compared to the higher premiums associated with Silver American Eagles or Canadian Maples.Order hereI have not yet ordered from SD bullion so personally recommend that but that seems to be the best deal around for a one ounce silver round.. ( At *$1.50 over spot per ounce premium this is an incredibly decent price) - you can get cheaper if you get heaps or pay slightly more for less than 100.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Discover the magic of autumn, with the stunning second release from the Australian Seasons series. Taking place from March to May, the cooler temperatures, glorious sunsets and golden leaves make this season a sight to behold.

PROOF QUALITY 99.9% PURE SILVER

The coin is struck by The Perth Mint from One Ounce of 99.9% silver in proof quality.

WARM AUTUMN REVERSE DESIGN

Captured in brilliant colour, the coin’s reverse depicts an Australian possum against the background of an autumn bush sunset. Gumnuts and leaves, the inscription AUTUMN and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark are also incorporated into the design.

AUSTRALIAN LEGAL TENDER

Issued as Australian legal tender, the coin’s obverse depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the year-date and the monetary denomination.

EXTREMELY LIMITED MINTAGE

The Perth Mint will release no more than 5,000 of these Australian Seasons – Autumn 2013 1oz Silver Proof Square Coins.

ILLUSTRATED PACKAGING AND CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY

The coin is housed in a contemporary display case, allowing a clear view of the reverse and obverse, and comes packaged inside a beautifully illustrated shipper. Each coin is accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

The arrival of a newborn baby is a jubilant occasion for the whole family. To capture this precious moment forever, The Perth Mint is proud to release a stunning Newborn Baby coin in a gift card.

Proof Quality 99.9% Pure Silver

The coin is struck by The Perth Mint from 1/2oz of 99.9% silver in proof quality.

Coloured Reverse Design

According to ancient folklore, a stork delivers a baby to its parents by transporting it in a basket held by the stork’s beak.

As an Australian take on this legend, the coin’s coloured reverse depicts a cute Australian kookaburra carrying a sleeping newborn baby in a swaddling cloth. A representation of Australian vegetation, the inscription CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BABY and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark are also incorporated into the design.

Australian Legal Tender

Issued as Australian legal tender, the coin’s obverse depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the year-date and the monetary denomination.

Stunningly Illustrated Gift Card Packaging

The coin is housed in an elaborate Australian themed gift card, with room to write the baby’s details, a family tree and a place to house a photograph.

Perfect Gift Idea

Dated 2013 for all babies born this year, the coin is sure to appeal to family, friends, gift buyers and coin collectors alike.

Mint-to-Order

This coin is issued by The Perth Mint on a mint-to-order basis, with the coin’s official mintage to be declared 12 months after its release.